Council President Pro Tem Gary Brown announced his resignation this morning. / File photo by Jarrad Henderson/Detroit Free Press

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Detroit Free Press Staff Writer

Gary Brown, the Detroit City Council’s second-ranking member, is resigning to take a job as the city’s chief compliance officer in emergency manager Kevyn Orr’s office.

His resignation is effective Monday, the same day he begins his new $225,000-a-year job.

Brown, a lifelong Detroiter, will spearhead efforts to rightsize and reform city operations as part of a broader operational restructuring effort aimed at improving public services and the city, Orr’s announcement said. On the council, Brown earned “a reputation as a reformer and was a voice for fiscal accountability,” the statement said.

“Gary is the type of change agent we need right now,” Orr said in the statement. “He’s not afraid to tackle the toughest issues and he brings a lifelong love for Detroit to the job. I am excited to have Gary’s experience and passion on my team as we make Detroit strong again.”

Brown said his appointment will allow Orr to devote more time to resolving the city’s debt and liabilities of up to $20 billion.

“I have a PhD in city government after being here the last four years and listening to citizens and watching a dysfunctional government work,” he said. “So I know what the problems are, I know how this building works and I think I have the ideal skill set to make those changes.”

Brown, a former Detroit Police Department deputy chief, was elected to citywide office in 2009. In a lengthy e-mail to supporters Wednesday, Brown highlighted a number of his accomplishments on the council and explained the reasons for his decision to leave.

“When the opportunity arose to serve in a leadership role in restructuring operations with the City of Detroit, I seriously considered it. This includes thoughtful contemplation for continuing my current role as council president pro tem for the remainder of the year. However, each day that implementation of restructuring is not done, it makes turning around the city that much more difficult. Therefore, we must act now,” he wrote.

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The city will pay Brown’s salary, but he will receive no medical or pension benefits through the new job.

Brown’s hire also means that William (Kriss) Andrews, an appointee of Mayor Dave Bing, will be leaving his role as program management director, Orr spokesman Bill Nowling said. Bing appointed Andrews last year to implement the changes to city government contained in the consent agreement with the state. Some of the duties of the program management director will be included in Brown’s new role.

Brown’s departure is the council’s second in six days. Former Councilman Kwame Kenyatta, who was dealing with medical issues and had become disillusioned with the council’s new role under Orr, resigned effective Friday. The remaining council members must appoint a replacement by a two-thirds vote. But Orr, who has the final say on the appointment process, is considering whether to leave the seats vacant.

Brown was fired as deputy chief by former Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick after it was revealed that Brown was investigating the use of overtime in the Police Department and a rumored but never proven party at the Manoogian Mansion, the mayor’s residence. That firing resulted in Brown and another officer, Harold Nelthrope, filing a whistleblower lawsuit that ended in a $8.4-million settlement in favor of Brown, Nelthrope and former officer Walt Harris.

Brown also said Wednesday that his appointment will not diminish new Police Chief James Craig’s leadership role. Craig starts Monday.

“I want to be clear about this: Chief Craig is driving all change at the Detroit Police Department,” Brown said. “I’m a resource for him. He needs anything, I’m going to try to get it for him.”